Is it hard to find steady work as a CAD drafter?

Question

Im going back to school and always wanted to get into drafting, but was a little worried from what one drafter told me that it was hard to earn a steady income due to most places only needing temporary help.Is this true or was he misinformed?

Answer 1

You can definitely find steady work as a CAD drafter. Check to see if the school you are interested in offers internships or placement assistance. If so, they should have established relationships with companies that need CAD drafters and can place you there for a short internship so you can add some experience to your resume.

Most large engineering companies use CAD drafters all the time. Look up engineering firms in your area and talk to them about opportunities for entry level drafters. Also, if you're not opposed to relocating or working on remote projects, you can always find work on design or architecture projects that pay pretty well. If you work on the project side, you will likely only have temporary employment (although temporary could mean several years). However, if you can get in with a major engineering company, you should have little trouble keeping permanent employment.

Good luck

Answer 2

It depends on what field and where you are located. I have found that in my area, there seems to be more of a need for drafters in the civil engineering and architectural fields. Bad news for me since i focused on engineering. But luckily, after about 1.5 years i found my current job, which i love. Some places do ask for temporary work, mainly because they need to see if you are a good fit for their company. After you have about 5 years experience, it should be real easy to find a steady job.

**ADVICE- MAKE SURE AND LEARN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT DIMENSIONING STANDARDS. DON'T NEGLECT ON LEARNING SHEETMETAL EITHER.

Answer 3

Makes sense, although some companies are steadier than others.